


It's All Inside The Soul

by Littlepurplething



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Spirits, Totems
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:55:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24689488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlepurplething/pseuds/Littlepurplething
Summary: After Tartaros was defeated and the guild gets back together after the year-long break, Lucy still feels abandoned and alone. A new mission with Bickslow could change her life. Could Laxus and the Thunder Legion help her get back to her normal self? BixLu, rated M for sexual themes.
Relationships: Bickslow/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 11
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter One

I do not own Fairy Tail. I wanted to write a BixLu story and my boyfriend gave me this idea from Supernatural. There are not enough BixLu stories out there!!  
 **Chapter One**

When Lucy got to the guild, it was loud as usual. Her team, off on a mission without her. She had been sick for the past week and they had asked her if they could go and take Lisanna with them and she agreed.

Her brown eyes were tired as she was just getting over her sickness and tiredness of sleeping too long. Lucy found her spot at the bar in front of the scary take-over mage behind it, sitting and slouching in her seat, Mira walked up and asked if she needed anything.

“I think I’ll just have some water, thanks,” The stellar mage sighed. She was feeling better but just a bit groggy, Lucy was just bored without her team and she kind of regretted telling them to go without her. She was also just feeling bummed out from everything, everything she didn’t want to talk about.

Sighing again when Mira handed her the glass of water, the white-haired bar maiden cocked her head in confusion at the stellar mage, “Something wrong Lucy?”

Shaking her head, “No, not really. Just sort of bored,”

Mira hummed, with a hand on her chin. Looking around at the guild she thought of what Lucy could do or hang out with. The only ones here were the Thunder Legion, Alzack, Bisca, and their daughter; then some random guild members.

“Why don’t you take a mission? You can do a small one by yourself,” Leaving Lucy frowning her eyebrows, could she really do that? Lucy had never taken a job by herself, her self esteem with her magic abilities have been shot down by her team. They were always so protective of her in missions that she never thought she could take one on with no help.

Lucy fidgeted in her seat, “I don’t know Mira, I don’t think I can,” Pushing a hair behind her ear, her feet kicked from beneath her.

Slamming her hands on the counter before her, “What do you mean? You’re plenty strong,” Mira defended her. The take-over mage has seen Lucy in action, she was amazing as what she did. Perfecting her magic and the star dress she learned, Lucy was getting so much better as a defective fighter and getting more intense as an offensive fighter.

Her mocha eyes looked down to the wooden counter, finding a line and following it before answering the white-haired bar maiden, “I don’t know Mira. It’s okay, I can just hang out here until the team gets back.”

“No, no way! I believe in you. Now march your butt to the job board and I will approve it!” Mira encouraged her, pointing to the board with Nab standing there thinking with a focused looked on his face.

Lucy took a deep breath and marched over to the board just like Mira told her to. Stepping over the lifted area for the board, Lucy found herself standing by Nab looking at different flyers for her to choose from.

Now that she was up here, she had no idea what she was capable of; what she could do on her own.

“There’s one with your name requested,” Nab offhandedly told the stellar mage beside him. Her eyes widened; she’s never been requested for a job before.

Her hand snatched it quickly and read it there on the spot:

**REQUESTED: LUCY HEARTFILLIA & BICKSLOW **

**I have a malicious spirit on my hands, and I suspected that your magic will work perfectly.**

**Location: Seven in the town of Jontronus**

**Reward: 78,000 Jewel 1 Celestial Key**

**Please hurry, this spirit has hurt many people.**

Lucy’s eyes pinched, she’s never worked with the Seith mage before; looking up at the second floor, she saw him laughing with Laxus and the rest of the Thunder Legion. Thanking Nab before walking back to the bar, Lucy plopped back in her stool and sighed.

How was she supposed to casually walk up to him and ask if he would go on this job with her? They didn’t even know each other, they have only dueled twice. Other than that, they haven’t even had a conversation that wasn’t perverted.

Looking back up to the balcony to see, Laxus telling them an elaborate story and them all laughing; watching Bickslow make a comment and flopping his tongue out and them giving him a shake of their heads.

Taking a deep and grabbing the flyer, she gave herself a quick pep talk and walking up to the second floor of the guild hall. Once she reached the top of the stairs, the storm blue eyes of Laxus spotted her.

“Whatcha doing up here blondie?” He joked which made her shoulders less tense. They all seemed so powerful and intimidating even though they have all changed for the better by far.

Lucy chuckled nervously with the flyer behind her back as she approached the table, “Um, I got a job requested for me and for Bickslow,”

After saying that, the Seith mages’ eyes widened beneath his visor, Lucy couldn’t see that though.

“Why?” He asked she had handed him the mission paper as Evergreen leaned over to look at the mission with Bickslow and Freed just watched the two of them.

“Well, it says that there’s a vengeful spirit that has hurt a lot of people. They thought our magic would help in the matter. You being a Seith mage and me being a Celestial mage,” She shrugged, thinking that he might not want to work with her.

The Seith mage nodded his head, “Sounds cool. When did you want to go?” Handing it back to her and holding his hands behind his head.

The stellar mage was shocked, he actually wanted to go with her. “You want to go?” Lucy absentmindedly asked looking shocked.

They all looked up to her, “What do you mean, Miss Lucy?” Freed asked, putting down his book to pay attention to her words.

Lucy swallowed, shaking her head, “Nothing. I was just asking,” Holding her arm with her other and looking the other way, “We can leave tomorrow morning if that’s okay,”

Nodding rapidly making the feather on the top of his visor bob, “Can’t wait for it cosplayer,” lolling his tongue and smiling to her.

Gripping the hem of her shirt, she felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment and just walked away from the Thunder Legion table.

[***]

Back in her home, Lucy was slowly packing her bag thinking of what this mission was going to be like. So, there was a spirit who is angry about something; maybe they could help them move on or they that to possess them.

Holding a hand to her chin she hummed, would she be of any help here? She would get a key out of this and maybe Bickslow would get a new friend if he calls them that.

She really wanted to talk to him about his magic, Lucy didn’t know much about it of what he really did. Hopefully, he’s up for talking about it. Or talking at all for that matter. The blonde sighed again, slamming a shirt in her bag; hoping that this wouldn’t be too long.

“Plue, is this going to go well?” Her little dog spirit shake and jumped at Lucy. “Yeah, I thought so too. I just have to be positive,”

Laying in her bed for the night and staring out the window next to her bed. She watched the stars fluttering in and out in the sky; seeing the various constellations that she could see. Lucy was just worried about tomorrow if she was going to be good enough to help.

“I guess we’ll see what happens,” Saying to Plue before he glowed away to the spirit realm.

Hours later, at 2 in the morning; Lucy started to toss and turn in her bed. Her hand hitting the side table but that didn’t bother her one bit as her eyebrows pinched together in distress. Her mind was jumbled with nightmares of heartache and abandonment.

_Dream:_

_Standing alone in her old house at the foyer. Her head looking around for someone, anyone, to help her._

_“Hello?” She asked the darkness. Getting no answer at all. No sound only her own breathing. Her tears started to leak again, no one was coming, and she was all alone again._

_Everybody leaves her at some point. Will anyone actually love her?_

A scream ripped through her lips as her eyes stared up at the ceiling. Lucy was sweating as her hands quickly ran to open the window by her bed. This was going to be one of the nights where she’s not going to get any sleep and she had a mission in the morning.

Slamming her head back to her pillow and sighed, she hated herself even more.

[***]

Walking into the guild hall at 8 in the morning, with her bag over her shoulder she glanced around the guild to see if Bickslow was here yet. Her eyes were heavy from the lack of sleep and the nightmares that plagued her mind. She let out a long sigh and looked around again.

He wasn’t, so she sat at a far table and brought her book out from inside her duffle bag. There was hardly anyone here, Lucy may have gotten there a bit too early. Yawning and rubbing her eye while she flipped to the next page.

After about an hour of reading, the guild doors slammed open to the loud thunder legion and Laxus all rolled in at once. Bickslow was laughing and sticking his tongue out while Evergreen slapped him with her fan; Freed was only shaking his at the two of them but held a small smile and Laxus looked like he was bored.

“Cosplayer!” Bickslow yelled, causing Lucy to tense her shoulder while his babies flew over to her. They circled around her head then forming a vertical line in front of her.

“Um, Hello?” Lucy tentative smiled at the small totems.

‘Hello, hello, hello!” They synchronized together making her giggle.

There was slight movement from beyond the totems, looking up she saw Bickslow sit across from her. The Seith mage smiled widely at her, “Hey there, we leaving so soon?” He asked leaning forward on the table.

Setting down her book off to the side, “Uh, we don’t have to if you have something to do,” moving a piece of hair behind her ear, the blonde sifted her feet under the table, “I just wanted to leave before noon.”

He nodded his head, “Well, I’m gonna eat breakfast first. I’ll be back,” Slapping the table before standing up to go get something to eat while his totems following him except one.

The one with a large smiling face and no nose stayed behind, “Did you need something little one?” Lucy didn’t know their name, but she wanted to be nice.

The totem flew up and just laid itself on her shoulder, “Hmm, okay?” She shrugged and opened up her book back up to read, thinking Bickslow was going to eat with his group. Until he sat back down with a plate of eggs and bacon, “What are you doing here?” wondering why he was sitting with you at all.

With cheeks full of eggs, he stared at her through his visor and if she could have seen his eyebrow quirk at her, “Wha do you men?” His cheeks are were full still.

“Well, I just thought that you were going to sit with your team?” Forgetting that there’s a totem on her shoulder as Bickslow stared at his little spirit.

After swallowing, he stuck his tongue out at her, “You’re my team today.”

Her eyes widened at him as his totems flew between both of them. That was the nicest thing someone has said to her. Lucy cleared her throat with a blush on her cheeks, turning away from him to look at the lamp that was next to her, “Well, then,” was all she said and picked up her book again, just to ignore him.

Bickslow just laughed as he continued eating, most of his totems were calm and quiet as they sat on the table but two of them were hovering over Lucy and her book. The one still perched on her shoulder while the one with clenching teeth was floating by her face as if they were reading with her.

The Seith mage’s head lifted to look at his babies; Pippi and Pappa were reading the book with her in her hands; of course, they could read, they were human souls and smart.

They never acted like this and she didn’t seem to mind. Cosplayer did seem a bit out of it, now that he thought of it, she did seem off that last time they talked. He was about to ask her if she was alright when Laxus showed up beside their table, looking at both of them.

“When will you be back?” Asking the Seith mage and completely ignoring Lucy.

“I’d say about 3 days Bossman,” Showing his guild mark to the lightning dragon slayer. “Why do you ask?”

His large hands leaned further towards him and Bickslow even saw Lucy lean back into the booth.

“What if we get a job while you’re gone? I can determine if we can push it off until you come back.” Acting responsible for his team which surprised Lucy quite a bit.

A loud laugh was heard across from her, “Yeah Bossman, I think you guys will be fine without me. does Laxy want me to stay with him?” Bickslow joked with his tongue out and his hands behind his head.

Laxus suddenly growled at the mage before her, “I will electrocute you.” Before walking off to the second floor with the rest of his team.

“What was that?” Lucy asked placing her book in her bag as Pippi sat on her other shoulder.

He cackled again and pointed a thumb up to the second floor of Fairy Tail, “That’s his way of being concerned about me. He just cares in a different way,” Both laughed as Laxus yelled down for him to quote ‘Shut his fucking mouth’.

Standing up with an empty table, Bickslow slammed his hands down in front of his new partner today, “So, you ready to get going?” Lucy’s eyes looked around for his plate, but she couldn’t find it anywhere, “My babies took it back to the bar, so are you ready?” He answered her unasked question.

Lucy stood up with him and grabbed her bag as one of his totems grabbed his own bag from the front doors; which is why she didn’t see it before.

Both mages arrived at the train station, Bickslow’s babies were silent as they bought their tickets for Seven, then boarded the train. The two of them had stayed silent, considering they had nothing to talk about.

Lucy cleared her throat, causing the Seith mage to look at her, “So, can I ask you something?” talking for the first time since leaving the guild; which made Bickslow kind of jittery since he loved talking people’s ear off.

“Shoot,”

Her mocha eyes shifted, wondering how she could ask him about his magic without sounding rude, “Um, can…what are your babies' names?” Well, that’s not what she wanted to ask.

Each totem flew up and introduced themselves, “Pappa!” in a cute child-like voice was the smiling little thing popped up in the blonde’s face.

“Pippi,” A cranky sounding teenager was the totem with big, wide teeth.

“Peppe,” The bored-looking totem with a big nose, he sounded a bit normal.

“Poppo,” The angry-looking totem that actually sounded a bit angry and stayed next to Bickslow instead of popping up in Lucy’s face.

“And I’m Puppu,” The last totem floated in between the two mages with his bright red eyes at Lucy.

She giggled at them all, “Well, I’m Lucy. It’s nice to meet you guys,” Waving at the little cuties, her eyes looked back up to the Seith mage and saw a small smile on his face, “What?” Lucy asked, thinking she did something wrong.

He shook his head; the blonde couldn’t see his eyes but if she did, she would have seen his soft expression. “Nothing. I didn’t say anything, Cosplayer,”

She stuck her own tongue out at him as he laughed. Two of the totems started flipping in their little compartment on the train, the rest were sitting quietly beside the Seith mage.

“Can I ask you something?” It was his turn to ask the blonde something that has been bugging him all morning. She nodded for him to ask away, “Is something wrong?”

The stellar mage was looking out the window when he asked, her mocha eyes widened and slowly turned her head to him, “What,” Lucy thought she hid it very well but guess not. Clearing her throat again and swallowing hard, she straightened herself up, “Yes, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

Her team didn’t even ask if she was fine, since the guild rebuilt. They just went on like normal and kept the team intact. Her heart felt abandoned all over again, no one cared that she was upset so she just shoved it deep down and forgot about it.

No one even said sorry.

After Tartaros happened and they won but she lost apart of herself. Aquarius. Her dearest friend and they all left. Scattered around Fiore without even a goodbye. And Natsu, he just left a note and couldn’t even face her.

Lucy had been abandoned all her life, why would this be any different? Maybe she was the problem, the blonde didn’t even hear what Bickslow said to her.

Flashes of when she tried to run after Natsu, of when the guild disbanded the very next day, of her crying her eyes out for days until her spirits came to make her ‘better’, of her feeling lost.

There had to be something wrong with her; why would everyone in her life leave her?

“LUCY!” A shout was heard in front of her and her eyes became focused on Bickslow kneeling on the train floor in front of her.

Her breathing was heavy and quick, her hands were bunched up in her shirt, “Yes?” Her voice was so quiet and soft and broken.

“Are you okay?” His hands were on her knees as his babies were sitting on the bench with her, she nodded her head, he tilted his head in mock response, “Cosplayer, you’re crying,” Her hands immediately went to her face and felt the wet drops on her cheeks.

She sighed and stared down to her lap and hands, “I’m okay for now. Thanks.” She gave him her strongest smile she could. Lucy hoped that he would believe her.

He stayed for a minute just watching her as she looked everywhere but him, she hadn’t even noticed that the train started moving. The Seith mage then stood and sat back in his seat across from, “Okay, but if you wanna talk about it, I’m here.”

“Me too!” The babies flew around in between them and made Lucy let out a small smile.

“Thanks, Bix. I really appreciate it.” Lucy highly doubted that she would go to him in the first place, but she did like sympathy. “Well, do you mind if I take a small nap? I didn’t really sleep too long,”

He nodded and showed his guild mark to her, “No problem, I’ll watch over your beautiful body.” Lucy could only roll her eyes and smirk at him as she pulled out her soundpod and headphones.

[***]

Bickslow watched as she almost immediately fell asleep to the sound of really loud and screamy music. He didn’t think she of all people would like that kind of music. His babies were quiet as he told them to sleep as well.

Their souls were vibrating, wanting to play with Cosplayer but after that small scene of her crying. He really didn’t know how to handle that, Evergreen hardly ever cried and when she did, it was around Freed or even Laxus but him? He was no good with crying girls.

What had gotten to her so bad? He only asked if something was wrong. Looking over at her with her hand on the windowsill and her eyes just with her music blasting, she looked angelic and not, what’s the word, broken.

They only had one hour until the train stopped at Seven and then they would walk to Jontronus from there. He hoped this mission would go well. This was very awkward from the start and who ones what will happen next.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Her music drowned out most of her nightmare, Lucy loved hearing her music and not just empty and lonely silence. She did, however, wake up with a gasp when Bickslow shook her shoulder to announce that they had arrived at Seven, his babies were now twirling in a circle repeating, ‘Mission, mission,’ over and over.

She smiled at him and said thanks while getting her bag ready. “I didn’t think you would listen to that kind of music,” He told her as he took a step off the train.

“Huh?” Lucy asked watching his back while they walk towards the town they were supposed to work. Seeing a lot of townspeople eyeing the two of them, it was weird as they hadn’t done anything, that she knows of.

“The whole screamo music and loud instrumental stuff, that’s something Bossman would listen to.” Bickslow stuck his tongue out at her as she giggled.

“Well, I really only recently got into it,” Shrugging from why she got into it, “It just kind of speaks to me. I hear the words and the beats just hit my heart. I like it,” She smiled thinking of the last song she heard.

_When your mind gets tired, and your heart grows gold. When you find yourself at the crossroads, just don’t lose hope._

Lucy tries to remind herself of that every day. Bickslow hummed and nodded he found that in his music so, he knew what she was talking about, but he also had another question, “So, why didn’t you go on a job with your team?”

She skipped along the sidewalk of a flying piece of trash, “Well, I was sick for a few days and they asked me if they could just go without me. I’m pretty sure they took Lisanna though,” Holding her finger to her chin.

“Are you okay with that?”

“Yeah, they can go on missions without me, I’m going without them,” holding her hand out to him, emphasis on her mission with the Seith mage, then Pappa landed on her hand and she laughed, “You keep sitting on me. You like me or something?” Lucy asked the little smiling totem.

“Your soul is warm.” Pappa squeaked, making the stellar mage giggle.

“What does that mean?” Looking up at Bickslow who was just watching them as he walked backward. He was amazed that Pappa was talking to her, and her soul being warm was a very good thing.

His babies rarely ever talk to people on their own. They talk to people ask Bickslow to talk to them. Like they aren’t people or souls. The Thunder Legion talks to them but they have known him for years.

“It means that you are welcoming.” He explained in the simplest way he could.

“Am I?” He didn’t know if that was a question for him or for her.

As they continued walking, they joked and laughed all along the way. His babies even had a conversation with the blonde celestial mage and his was sort of happy and content being here with her; it made him feel awkward.

They had stopped by a river before his babies helped then both across. Lucy had asked about his magic and how he got it since just about everyone in Fairy Tail knows about Lucy’s past. “Uh, it was given to me at birth. There’s not a lot of people who have this kind of magic.”

She had to think, it was a form of dark magic, but she knew that he wasn’t that kind of mage, “Is that why people stared at us on the street in town?” She had noticed many people looking over to them with wry eyes.

His shoulders hitch up, “Yeah, people tend to get freaked out with floating totems with their own voices,” He was making sure that his babies never got too rowdy around the town but right now they could float out in the woods as long as he knew where they were.

Lucy nodded, she understood townspeople sometimes get freaked out just by Natsu and Gray because they can get a bit rough around any buildings, “I think they are cute,” Lifting her shoulder with Pappa sitting there.

He cackled at that, “Sometimes. Sometimes they get on my nerves,” Lolling his to tongue to his cheek as his babies float over to him to argue against that.

The two mages saw the opening to the town of Jontronus, the beautiful looking bushes outside the gated city. There was even a vined arch arbor over the entrance with gorgeous looking tiger lilies. “Wow,” Lucy commented on how beautiful everything looked.

“Yeah, this shit looks sick,” Bickslow whistled lowly having his babies trail after him and the stellar mage. Lucy smacked him in the chest for his language; the blue-haired mage only stuck out his tongue at her.

They wondered about the beautiful town, seeing the many nicely built shops and new pavement. This city was recently finished, Lucy would guess. Finding the mayors building, they looked up to a giant painting of a small bold man with a bushy mustache and eyebrows. The blonde just had to laugh.

Lucy knocked on the door and stepped back, almost bumping into Bickslow; his hand had stopped her from hitting him on her lower back. She squeaked and moved a little to the left with a pink blush on her cheeks.

The door opened to a tall woman with her brown hair pulled up into a tight bun. Her makeup was also very on point, to Lucy, and very too much of. Bickslow was eyeing her now though, looking her up and down before she spoke, “What can I do for you two?”

Since the Seith mage was busy eyeing her long legs, Lucy cleared her throat, “We came for the job post from the mayor,” Pulling out the flyer with both of their names on it.

She looked it over and then looked between the two Fairy Tail mages, “Where are your guild marks?” Lucy held up her hand while her partner for the day rolled out his tongue making the maid pull her lip up in disgust.

“Right,” Looking them both up and down and moved out of the way, “Right this way. I’ll show you to his study,”

The mages followed the tall housekeeper through the large building, Lucy’s eyes found interest in all the paintings that hung on the walls. Lots of nature paints with bright flowers and green bushes. There was one of a woman sitting in a chair in front of a window, the blonde didn’t even realize that she had stopped to look at the painting until Puppu showed up in front of her to tell her to hurry up.

“Oh, sorry,” smiling softly at the totem and following her partner.

Arriving at the study to find the man they saw outside in the painting on the building, sitting in a large desk chair that lifted high above his head. Looking up from his desk and papers that he seemed to be signing, he smiled and stood, “Hello, are you the Fairy Tail mages I requested?”

“Yes sir,” Lucy responded sitting on the couch that was facing the wide oak desk colored burgundy and Lucy wished she had that desk for herself, “I’m Lucy and this is Bickslow,” holding her hand out to the blue-haired Seith mage.

“I’m aware,” Pulling out a folder from under a pile of papers on the corner of his desk, some papers falling off the top and flew around the desk to the carpeted floor. Bickslow stood slightly to pick them up and hand them to the Mayor.

Offering him a small thank you, he continued on, “Now, there’s an abandoned house at the end of Odigaren Street. Many teenagers and bored young adults ‘play’ there. I’ve been getting reports of screaming and people going missing. Last week, we had a dead body lying on the front lawn.”

He handed them papers and newspaper clippings of the incidents, then the crime photo of last weeks’ happening. Lucy handed the photo and folder to Bickslow when she took a steep breath at the photo.

“This has been the last straw, I thought it was only a prank, but now it’s serious. I need your help,” the Mayor had folded his hands together and gave them a pleading look.

Bickslow scooted forward on the couch, “Do you know who is doing this? Like who this ghost actually is?” he asked seriously.

“Well, I have no idea actually. I believe the last person to actually live there was a woman by the name of Annabeth Witman and her husband.”

The two nodded, they were going to have to do some research before going into the house. After their meeting with the Mayor, the two mages went to the local historical records building. His babies helped them carry books back and forth from the shelf and the table they were sitting at.

Bickslow wanted to save this spirit, he didn’t know if they would be able to move on or not; he wanted to try anyway.

Lucy also wanted to help, she hoped that this wasn’t too much of an angry entity. Lucy was sitting at the table reading the records for the town while Bickslow was reading the newspapers of that time to see if anything had happened worth noting.

“Hey, I think I found something,” pushing the paper in front of her, Bickslow pointed to a small clipping of a story, _Local couple divorce in brutal custody war._ Her eyes widened, snapping the paper up for a better look.

“Yeah, it says here that she had cheated on him with the local town’s bank manager.” He told her as the stellar mage read on.

The bank manager was Herbert Tuff, Annabeth’s husband caught them in the house, in the living room. It seemed that all three of them had died that night and a couple of theories were floating around about what had happened.

“So, who do you think it is then?” Lucy looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

“We don’t know if we don’t check it out,” for a moment he stood then slammed back into his seat across from her, “I say we get some sleep and then go out at night unless you’re too scared,” He joked with his tongue rolled out.

Lucy laughed, slamming her book shut, “I think I can take on some scary man who hates cheaters,” Sticking her tongue out at him and watched him laugh, “We should find somewhere to sleep, did you see any hotels in town?”

The Fairy Tail mages started putting away their books and papers to find somewhere to stay. The hotel they found was only 3 streets away from where they were and had gotten their rooms. Well, one room but Lucy was thankful it had two beds in the room.

[***]

“How have you never seen that movie?” Bickslow laughed then took a bite of his burger, they had just gotten room service, “It’s a total chick flick, that’s like your thing,” holding his hands up in distress.

The stellar mage laughed, and popped a piece of chicken in her mouth, “I don’t do chick flicks! They all lie! I mean who just gets with someone like the day of meeting them?” All of his babies were sitting on her bed instead of Bickslow’s.

They all started chanting, ‘Horror, horror!’

“Exactly!” Lucy yelled, throwing her hands at the totems, “Horror is where it’s at!”

The blue-haired Seith mage laughed loudly, throwing his head back, “Horror thriller is the best kind movie there is,” He was on the opposite bed clad in just a pair of pajama pants. His visor was laid on the nightstand, showing off his face tattoo and beautiful, in Lucy’s opinion, eyes.

Lucy on the other hand was wearing her favorite big shirt and a small pair of booty shorts, “My favorite has to be the Saw movies,” Eating more of her fries before one of his babies steals one to give to Bickslow again; mostly Peppe. Pappa was perched on her shoulder per usual, while the rest were sitting in front of her quietly.

“When did my babies become yours?” He asked, glaring at the little totems.

The blonde laughed, “I’m not really sure,” Looking around at the room they were in, their bags were set on the table on the far side, “So, what time are we waking up?” getting her keys off the night table between them.

“I would say, maybe, midnight?” He guessed; it would be prime time to catch this ghost in action.

He watched her close her eyes for a few moments until she turned back to him, “Okay, I talked to Horologium and made an alarm for 12:15, is that okay?”

His eyes widened, he didn’t know that clock spirit would wake us up; something so not worth summoning him for and they could speak to her spirits through her mind, “You just spoke with him? Without summoning him?” He inadvertently asked her.

Lucy smiled, very proud of herself at this moment, “Yeah! I strengthened my bond with them, they can’t watch me, but they can hear me if I talk to them directly,”

“That’s pretty awesome,” Now, they were both just smiling at each other.

The totems flew in between them, ‘Bedtime, Bedtime!” they chanted.

The two mages started blinking and then laughed awkwardly before Poppo shut the lights off for them and they both laid in their separate beds.

Bickslow turned off his babies connected but not before saying, ‘You guys are just cock blockers.’ Then let them stack on the table and waited for the Fairy Tail mages to wake up.

[***]

A loud dinging was heard in the quiet hotel room, Lucy looked up to see her grandfather clock spirit standing right between the two beds. She groaned while shifting in her bed and then he dinged again when she didn’t respond.

“Okay, Horologium. I’m awake,” making him stop and the blonde smiled to her spirit before thanking him. She looked across the room to see that Bickslow was still fast asleep and she had to wake him up now.

It seemed that the Seith mage was a heavy sleeper, the stellar mage stood over him on his stomach, snoring up a storm. Her hand stuck out to tickle his feet that was sticking out of his blanket, yet he only moved his feet away from her groaning, “Stop,” He mumbled in his sleep.

Lucy just had to giggle, “Bicks, you gotta wake up.” Poking his side now, he still wasn’t getting up. She huffed when, again, he didn’t move one inch. Crossing her arms, she thought of another method of waking him.

Climbing on the bed, she stood on her knees beside him; Lucy covered his mouth and plugged his nose with both hands. She waited; his eyes then opened, and he started to push her back. Suddenly, his strengthen overpowered hers as he pinned the blonde to his bed.

Lucy yelped when he held down her arms beside her head, “What’s happening?” Bickslow asked, thinking that someone was attacking him but then he saw it was only Lucy, “Cosplayer, what the hell?”

“You wouldn’t wake up?” her voice was small as he looked around the room, he let her go while she started breathing again, “You always wake up in attack mode?” Asking him before standing up to get her clothes from her bag.

“Only when someone cuts off my oxygen,” He joked waking up his babies and having them fly around the room in excitement. Their souls were always in his mind, but he just quieted them when he slept, it's not like they could sleep because they have no human bodies.

“YOU WOULDN’T WAKE UP!” She yelled from the bathroom to get dressed. Bickslow only laughed and getting dressed himself.

[***]

Standing in front of the house, it was certainly creepy at night. The house was normal, but the weather and nature had gotten to it with torn siding and broken windows with vines and moss growing all over.

“Well, this is super creepy,” Bickslow nodded to her statement just staring at the broken home with wry eyes. His babies were floating beside the two chanting, ‘Creepy, creepy,’

Bickslow stepped forward, “Well, let's get going then,”

Lucy stepped along with him as he got to the door, turning the knob and looking from behind his arm to see the dark abyss of the house.

There wasn’t too much in the house; the living room had a long L-shape couch and an oval shape coffee table in front of it. Once they walked in the T.V. turned on to static, their heads snapped to it and Bickslow activated his Figure eyes to see if he could see the spirit.

“Did you see anything?” Lucy asked, looking around if she could see anything, nothing so far.

“Yeah but it’s not the husband,” Bickslow stated, staring at the woman that was standing near the T.V., Lucy looked confused until she was face to face with the said spirit, letting out a scream and jumping back.

“Get. Out.” The woman told them, but she didn’t look like she was in control of herself as her arm swung out to hit Bickslow, only to hit the air as he leaned back to avoid her. 

“We’re here to help,” Lucy said, holding out her hands for the spirit to calm down but she apparently decided to throw a flower vase at the stellar mage.

“Cosplayer, you okay?” Bickslow panicked, he had to get control of this spirit, but it seemed like someone else had gotten to her first, “I think someone is controlling her,” He commented.

The stellar mage looked down at the long cut across her forearm, but nothing else was damaged, “Yeah, I’m fine. Who would be doing that?” her mocha eyes turned towards Annabeth, “Annabeth, who is it?”

The spirit stared for a moment before disappearing, Lucy groaned before calling out Virgo, “We are on a mission, I need your help to find a spirit,” She told the maid before she could ask for punishment again.

The two then went back to Bickslow and made a plan to search for the person who is controlling the wife, “Could it be another Seith mage?” She asked him as he was deep in thought.

It could have been another Seith mage, he didn’t really know of any, “It’s possible,”

Suddenly, they heard a loud crash from behind the blue-haired mage, turning around they saw his babies had blocked a lamp that was thrown at him. They decided then to search around the house, Lucy went upstairs with Virgo while Bickslow stayed with his babies on the ground floor.

_With Bickslow:_

His eyes darted across the living room trying to find anything he could, like evidence that a human being was here. His babies were flying all over the place and telling him that they haven’t found anything either, hopefully, Lucy can find something.

_With Lucy & Virgo_

They searched through all the rooms, and now they were standing in one that looked very lived in. The bed had the blankets everywhere, it was still warm too. “Someone’s here,” Lucy whispered to her friend.

The stellar mage transformed into her Virgo star dress, her long blonde hair in pigtails at the base of her skull, and the frilly maid outfit that ended past her butt, “Go that way,” Virgo nodded while going down the hall towards the bathroom.

Lucy looked into the nearby bedroom to see covered furniture and dusty cobwebs everywhere, “Gross,”

“I don’t come to your house and tell you your stuff is disgusting,” A voice was heard from behind her. She turned and was hit in the chest, falling to her back. Trying to catch her breath, Lucy saw Virgo come up from the ground between them.

The pink-haired spirit blocked the guy's view of her master, “Cosplayer, I heard something, are you-,”

Seeing an old man with green eyes staring at his partner and her maid spirit, in some old dusty clothing, “Who are you?”

“I am Herbert Tuff,”

“The bank manager?” Lucy was now standing up with her hands clenched. She threw her hand forward throwing her chains that were on her wrists to try to detain him, but he moved out of the way.

“Lucy, close your eyes,” Bickslow quickly said when he saw the guy turn towards her. He knew what he was going to try to do. The blonde immediately listened and shut her eyes and heard a grunt and Virgo pulled her out of the way.

“Virgo I need chains, or a rope or something,” Bickslow franticly yelled while Lucy had her eyes still closed, he hadn’t told her she could open her eyes yet, “You can open your eyes now Cosplayer,”

Once her eyes were open, she saw Bickslow with his Figure eyes activated on Herbert, his babies were surrounding the man who was sitting on the floor tied up with chains. Lucy had told Virgo to go back with a thank you.

The blonde stepped next to her partner with her arms crossed, “So, what? You wanted to get back at Annabeth or her husband?” Wanting to get to the bottom of it.

“I don’t have to tell you anything bitch!” He yelled, almost spitting at the two mages.

“Hey!” Bickslow shouted back, “You can’t talk to her like that!” possessing his body again after letting him go to talk to Lucy.

Putting a hand on his chest, “No, it’s okay. Why are you controlling her spirit?”

After letting him back he glared at the blonde, didn’t really tell them why he’s going any of this. Herbert looked like he wasn’t going to tell them anything, so they called the Rune Knights to come to get the man. The two were standing on the porch of the house watching the old man being taken into the van with about 10 Knight surrounding him.

“Now what?” Lucy asked leaning up against the pillar above the stairs.

“What you mean? We go home, plus, your still bleeding Lucy,” She had almost forgotten out the cut on her arm, Lucy brushed it off.

Shrugging, “I’m okay, I meant about Annabeth,”

His head snapped to the door when he felt her soul calling out to him.

“It wasn’t me,” She told him. Lucy looked at him when he didn’t answer her to see him looking at the open door.

“What wasn’t?”

Annabeth looked down, feeling very uncomfortable, her eyes shifted around until it hit back to Bickslow, “I didn’t cheat on him,”

“What’s happening?” Lucy whispered to the Seith mage, who was just standing there watching the open door. Bickslow then waved her off until he got the whole story.

“My husband cheated on me with Herbert,” Bickslow’s eyes widened, that was really a big twist, letting out a low whistle he let her continue her side of the story, “Herbert didn’t want that to get in the papers so he killed me before I could tell anyone. I heard that he killed my husband because he was afraid that he would also tell,”

“That is a shitty situation,” crossing his arms while looking down to Lucy he then went on to explain everything to the blonde, making her gasp in shock.

Once they had the whole story it seemed like that her soul was ready to move on, her whole existence started to glow bright and her features calmed. Then disappearing without a sound, Lucy was very happy that everyone got what they deserve, and her soul felt light at the moment.

As they told the story to the Mayor, he was shocked, never would he think Herbert would do something like this; he had known the man for a while and he had never shown signs of being evil. He had alerted the newspapers to change the story, per Lucy’s request.

[***]

“So, what key did you get?” Bickslow asked on the train ride back to Magnolia and having his babies sleep for the ride.

Pulling out the bronze key from her key ring, “It’s the constellation, Vulpecula, the little fox. I’ve never had a bronze key before. I’m really excited to meet them,” admiring the copper coloring and the several foxtails that make up the top of the key. Her arm was now bandaged from Bickslow insisted on it.

Pulling up his leg to the take up the entire bench he laid on his back with his knees up, “So when are you gonna make a contract Cosplayer?”

“When are you gonna stop calling me that? Possibly when we get back home,” getting the key back on the ring while also pulling up her knees to her chest and setting her back against the window.

“Never, that name suits you. Unless you want me to call you sweet thing,” Winking at the blonde, Lucy just shook her head at him.

[***]

Arriving at the Fairy Tail again being almost noon, Lucy looked over the guild see not see her team anywhere. She did see Lisanna at the bar with her sister, making her way to the take-over mages, she sat in her normal bar stool.

“Hey Lis!” waving to the white-haired mage, “How was the mission?” already knowing the answer.

“Lucy! Oh, it was…eventful.” Rolling her eyes and leaning on her elbows towards the blonde, “Do Gray and Natsu fight all of the time?”

Nodding enthusiastically, “Yes, almost all the time,”

“Ugh, I had to yell at them multiple times! Oh, how was your mission with Bickslow?” wiggling her eyebrows at the stellar mage, probably taking note from her older sister.

“It was fine, I got a key out of it!” Pulling the bronze key out to show her.

Lisanna looked it over and was impressed, knowing that Lucy never had one of these before, “Wow, that’s really awesome Lucy!”

The two talked for a while until Mira needed Lisanna to help her around the guild, so Lucy walked over to one of the tables by the door. She had forgotten to ask where her team was, too focused on their banter to remember.

[***]

Bickslow arrived at his team's usual table on the second floor, sticking his tongue out as a hello to Evergreen and Freed with a wave to Laxus, “How was the mission?” Evergreen asked from behind her fan.

“It was really chill,” holding his hands behind his head with his babies floating around chanting, ‘Cosplayer chill, fun time, again again,’

“Well, since you’re back, we have a job.” Bossman, always cutting to the chase, “It’s a monster hunt out in Onibus, not too far so we can walk,”

“When?” Freed asked.

“Tomorrow, at 8 in the morning,” Bickslow looked over the balcony to see Lucy reading in the corner of a booth, with her knees to her chest; her eyes wandered around the guild again then sighed before turning back to her book.

Not hearing a word Freed just said, Bickslow asked, “Can we take someone with us this time?”

They all turned to him, “Who and why?” Laxus asked, crossing his arms.

“Well, Cosplayer. She’s very useful and she can learn from us. I feel like she just needs some time away from her team, she didn’t tell me anything, but it just seemed like it,” Shrugging, waiting for Laxus to say anything; it was really just a suggestion, it could be good for Lucy to be with another team.

“Okay, fine. We’ll see how she is and maybe I can suggest some training to Gramps about it,” he looked over the balcony to see if he could see the blonde, “Where is she?”

Bickslow glanced over to where he last saw her but found the booth empty, “She was just right there,” pointing to the table. Pappa floated up to his face, ‘went home, too tired’

Puppu then stated, ‘She told Mira that she was tired and went home.” He simply reiterated for Pappa.

“Then let's go find her,” Evergreen stood and was already out the door before anyone could protest.

[***]

Laxus and the Thunder Legion opened the door to the blonde’s apartment, they hadn’t even knocked and Bickslow found this to be a bit intruding but fuck it?

“Blondie!” Laxus yelled and then there was a loud scream from the kitchen.

They found Lucy on the ground with a hand to her chest breathing heavily, “What the-“

“You’re going to on a mission with us,” Laxus told her while her mocha eyes found Bickslow and he shrugged at her.

“Okay.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for this being super late but this epidemic is really fucking with my brain. Well, here is your update!

**Chapter Three**

After Lucy’s heart attack at the sudden appearance of Laxus and the Thunder Legion in her apartment, she offered them to sit and have tea with her. She set the tea kettle on the stove while they all got comfortable in her living room.

Since living in Crocus, the blonde got herself a little studio apartment this time. She really wasn’t expecting any company, her team rarely ever visited anymore. The living room consisted of one couch and an armchair, not much. Her bed sat in the back of the room and a nightstand held her keys.

Laxus sat himself in the middle of her couch with Evergreen and Freed on either side of him. Bickslow at in her chair, bouncing up and down and testing firmness and rested back with his legs wide and his babies resting on the top of the chair.

Lucy walked over and just stood, since there was no place to sit, and crossed her arms, “So, what job is this?”

“It’s just a monster hunt in Onibus,” The lightning slayer grunted looking around in her small apartment, how Team Natsu fit in this was questionable to him, his team could barely fit in it.

Shifting her feet, they were tired from walking all day long, “You wanted me to go?” Not really believing it was true.

Bickslow looked at her moving from foot to foot, she was probably tired from their traveling all day, “Why don’t you sit down Cosplayer?”

“Where?” motioning to the zero seating she had, he looked around then back to her; shrugging when he pulled her on to one of his thighs, “Bickslow!” Almost pushing herself up until one of his arms wrapped around her waist.

“I don’t have cooties, Cosplayer,” Rolling her eyes, Lucy turned back to the other three in the room who was just staring at them.

“I’m sorry but what’s going on here?” Freed looked between the two mages.

The Seith and stellar mages just looked at each other, “Nothing,” while being nonchalant with the situation they were in. To be quite honest, they had no clue themselves, they felt drawn to one another; felt at ease with each other without a clue as to why since they have only spent one day together.

From behind her fan, Evergreen giggled, “It certainly seems like something’s happening between the two of you,” motioning to his arm around her waist and the face of the blonde content look.

Bickslow leaned further to his brunette partner, “Oh, like you would know about romance with that ‘secret’ boyfriend you got?” mocking her as Lucy giggled from his lap, with Pappa placed on her shoulder per usual.

The Fairy mage smacked him with her fan against his chest, making Lucy move out of the way. Freed smiled but looked like he was slightly bored, Lucy leaned forward towards the green-haired man, “You know Freed, I have tons of books you might not have read before right behind you,” Pointing to her large bookshelf beside her bed.

His head snapped to the bookshelf and he sprang from his seat by Laxus to the tall five-shelf bookcase. His hands touched the spines of the books before taking one off to stand and read by her bed.

Laxus sighed as he leaned back, finally settling in the couch that was undeniably comfortable, “Are you in or not blondie?”

Crossing her arms under her breast, “You know, you’re blonde too ya know?”

“Yes, but I don’t act like a blonde,” Smirking at the stellar mage who gaped at him, picking up a pillow and throwing it at the lightning slayer.

Bickslow held her tighter since he felt her almost stand up, “Well, at least I don’t dance around my feelings with a certain someone,” Smirking right back as his hands clenched at his sides until there was a snort from Freed by the bookshelf.

“Whatever,” He grunted crossing his arms with a flap of his fluffy jacket that Lucy so badly wanted to wear, “You in or not?”

Sighing, Lucy lifted her arms in exaggeration, “Yeah, I’m all for it,” Smiling at the small lift of the slayer's lips.

“Great! It will so amazing to have another girl on the team. Instead of all of these buffoons,” Evergreen cheered, all she had to talk to were these three men all the time. They never understood her girlish jokes.

“Hey!’ Bickslow yelled from behind Lucy’s ear and moving slightly to the left, “I’m great company, thank you very much,” He defended himself. Laxus audibly laughed, throwing his head back.

The Seith mage narrowed his eyes at his boss but he was wearing his visor so, it was hard to see what he was doing.

[***]

The sun was setting when Laxus and the Thunder legion left her apartment, she would be sleeping nicely tonight. Walking through the doorway to her bathroom, she looked in the mirror to see herself very tired and very broken.

Her dull mocha eyes shifted from her face to her body, lifting her arms to inspect them. Lucy knew that she didn’t look that same after Tartarus her skin was tanner when she was training outside more often. She didn’t feel attractive anymore, with more muscles and scars all over her body, the blonde didn’t feel enough in her own skin.

Letting out a long sigh and calling out Plue to come to bathe with her, shedding her clothes he sunk into the hot bath water letting some drops fall over the edge to the floor.

“Is this a good idea?” Looking at a shriveled up Plue floating in the water with steam flying in the air.

‘Pun pun!” raising his hands up in the air, the blonde just had to giggle.

“I think this would be good for me,” Thinking if this would turn out just like her own team and ruin everything, or worse, they try to guard her against everything, “Maybe…maybe they will teach me new moves or something,” imagining all of the possible outcomes since she had no idea how they operate as a team.

Standing in her bedroom, she pulled out her new key from her job with Bickslow. The bronze was smooth and clean in her hand, “Open, the gate of the little fox: Vulpecula”

Out popped out a small kid, no older than 13, standing with a fluffy orange tail with the black tip behind him. His hair was bright orange, shaggy, and laying flat on his head. He wore a black sweatshirt with black pants, “Heya!” He waved, she noticed the black nose and whiskers on his face.

“Hello, my name is Lucy. Who are you?” The blonde held her hand on her hip, looking down at the kid.

“My name is Ban; I know about you Princess,” Pointing to her, making her looked surprised, how did he know about her? “Other spirits talk very highly about you in the celestial realm.” Giving her a wink.

She sighed but smiled that they all loved her, “Okay well, what kind of magic do you use?” getting out her notepad, flipping to her open page in the back, she may need to get a new one at some point.

“Well, my magic is called snatch. I can steal from people,” crossing his arms in pride with a smirk.

“Steal? Like just take things from people?” Lucy asked letting her arms drop to her side.

Shrugging, “I can do that, but I can also steal people’s magic, like if someone were to attack you in can take their magic and shoot it back at them.”

Her mocha eyes widened, “Wow, that amazing! Now, what days do you have off?”

“Days off?” tilting his head in confusion.

“What days do you not want me to call you?” Lucy clarifies with Plue jumping on her bed in excitement.

He looked around in confusion again, “No one’s ever asked me that,” He grumbled, “I guess not the weekends?” He guessed, his last owner didn’t really ask him that, he just called him whenever he felt like it.

Nodding and writing it down she smiled at the boy, “Okay, great. I’m glad we get to work together! Just to say that I am not your master, I am a friend that just so happens to need your help. I will help you if that ever comes up.” Shoving the notebook in her nightstand and picking up Plue.

“Thank you so much, Luce,” smiling at her, he disappeared in a glow.

[***]

With a skip in her step, Lucy made it to the guild just in time to see Wendy cross her path, “Hey Wen!” the stellar mage greet. Lucy’s bag was secured over her shoulder, her hair was in a high ponytail, that was leaning to the right side. Her outfit consisted of tight leggings and a fitting halter top.

The blue-haired slayer turned her head to see the blonde and smiled, “Hey LuLu, where have you been?” stepping in step with her to the bar as they sat in front of Mira.

That had started a whole conversation with the two until Laxus and the other showed up a few minutes later, bags in hand and Bickslow’s babies floating forward.

‘Cosplayer!’ they chanted, landing in front of the blonde at the bar, nearly spilling her water if she hadn’t caught it in time.

“Hey there babies!” smiling at the little souls that seem to be attached to her. Lucy wasn’t sure why, at this point she wasn’t sure about anything anymore. Behind her was the blue-haired mage and Laxus, Evergreen, and Freed standing at the door.

“You ready Cosplayer?” He asked watching her jump off the stool and clap her hands with a smile, telling him that she was ready.

The new group was on their way to the next town for their monster hunt. Lucy had wondered what kind of monsters they were trying to take down. Her mind wandered to the trees and butterflies fluttering around.

Her eyes looked to Evergreen who was speaking about different topics with Freed, Laxus was quietly walking with his eyes closed and his Sound Pods on each ear, his headphones were painted black with the pods colored yellow with pointed spikes. Bickslow was walking beside her, with his hands behind his head.

“So, what are we hunting Laxus?” Evergreen asked, punching his shoulder for him to listen. Taking off one pod to hear her, asking what she said, Lucy could hear the sound of the music he was listening to. The blonde knew that song, it was one of her favorites.

“We are hunting, I think, wyverns,” Lucy chuckled, him not knowing what they were actually hunting, just wanting to get out there, “Something funny, blondie?”

Smirking again, “Friends and fellow countrymen, lend me your ears!” Holding her arms up as if she was announcing something.

His eyebrows flew up at her but said nothing and seemed amused that she knew that song, “The following revelation for you skeptics to hear,” closing her eyes and hearing the acoustic of the song in her mind, seeing the notes behind her eyes.

“Didn’t think you knew that kind of music, blondie,” Smirking at the stellar mage, taking his Sound Pods off.

She started walking backward while looking at her new leader for the week, “I love that song, what do you mean?” Almost tripping over a rock until Pippi helped her stay upright. Lucy offered a small thank you before turning back to Laxus.

“You, a small blonde woman listening to loud, screaming music, it just seems a bit odd,” The lightning slayer explained, he never thought Lucy would be the type of person to admire this music.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, “Music is only for someone’s soul and who they are as a person not what they look like, Sparky!” She rebutted, pausing to sing more, “There exists no good, only unrealized evil. I’ll bring hope to the sinners and death to the people!” raising her arms up again and smiling when the rest were looking at her with amused eyes.

“You listen to scary music,” Evergreen commented.

Lucy pointed a finger up, “Actually that song is about the short story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde about having a good and bad side to everyone,” She explained, then turned back to walking normally, “Most of their songs about horror movies and short stories,”

“How do you know that?” Laxus asked, looking undeniably confused at how she knew all of this.

She pulled a piece of her hair behind her ear and took a look at Bickslow, he gave her a small smile, “The lyrics talk about having a murder’s mind after giving up his merciful heart.

Saw Bickslow jumping from tree to tree, swinging with branches then jumping off the ground.

“What is he doing?” Lucy asked Freed, who just happened to be next to her.

The rune mage hummed, “He got bored and started doing his acrobatics to keep his ADHD in order,” he explained. Lucy looked on to him getting ahead of the group with two of his babies flying with him and the other three staying by Lucy.

The stellar mage hummed in acknowledgment and just watched him, his arms tensed with every time he grabbed a branch and his calf muscles were just the same. Her mind drifted to him until Evergreen bumped her shoulder with her laced fan.

“What’s on your mind Lu?” She asked Lucy’s mocha eyes swiped between her and the Seith mage who was stopped by the towns’ entrance.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Crossing her arms and looking the other way.

The group then walked in the town, seeing the town and the people around them watched in wonder; it seemed that Laxus and his team were popular here. Their walk led them to a small hut that was facing the forest.

Laxus knocked on the door, with Freed standing next to him. Lucy stood behind them all; feeling that she wasn’t really part of the team, but she tried to be hopeful that this was going to turn out great. An old man had opened the door and looked towards the S-class mage and smiled.

“Dreyer! I’m glad you’re here! Come in, come in!” motioning them inside the little hut. Lucy saw a wooden looking house; one side of the house was an entire tree. His kitchen was open with only a small fridge.

“So Ben, what did you call us for?” Laxus asked sitting on a stump that was in the living room.

Lucy just stood off to the side with Bickslow leaning up against the wall, “They know each other?” the blonde asked and Bickslow shrugged, he had no idea that Laxus knew this guy. Her arm touched his as she shifted her feet, she was getting antsy and wanting to show them what she was made of.

“My corn and vegetables have been destroyed and the trees lining my yard have been demolished. I haven’t seen who’s been doing it but my neighbor, Mailk, told me that it was Wyverns last night,” Ben explained to them and showed the Fairy Tail mages his backyard.

Evergreen gasped at the damage that the beasts had caused, his field was trampled and torn vegetables from the ground. The trees in the far back were ripped from the ground and thrown around the place, “Wow, that is terrible,” She commented.

“Yeah, I want them gone. I haven’t been able to get paid in weeks!” Ben had been done with this damage, he thought they had moved on the first time, but they came back three times! He was a lonely farmer and not a mage whatsoever.

Laxus grunted, and stood from his seating, “Yeah, we can get right on that. Do you know how many there are?”

Scratching his head and squinting one eye, “No, I feel there’s more than one though,”

Freed nodded to Laxus and Lucy just realized that he wasn’t around until just now, “While we go looking for this pack of Wyverns, we put a barrier around your lot to protect it if they come back while we are gone,”

Lucy was surprised they took that into consideration, maybe this would be different.

“Oh, great!” Ben smiled watching them walk out to his backyard to start the mission, “Good luck Dreyer!” waving them off.

Laxus was leading them, him having dragon slayer magic, he was trying to sniff out the monsters for them to fight off. Bickslow’s babies were looking up high for the monsters while Freed was on attack mode. Lucy shifted to her Cancer star dress, it felt more practical than any other, while holding the two blades in her hands.

The lightning slayer stopped in his tracks holding his hand up to the rest to stop, suddenly there were several loud screeches; they had to cover their ears before spotting the giant Wyvern over the trees and smaller but large Wyverns coming towards them.

“Shit!” Laxus shouted getting his stance, taking a deep breath, and letting out a large lightning roar to the large monster.

Evergreen activated her fairy wings to attack smaller monsters, Freed took out his sword, writing runes in the sky and shoving them towards the monster; the beast held his head and roared again then stumbled around. Bickslow used his babies to form a Baryon formation, circling around each other then glowing a right green before shooting towards one Wyvern he cornered in a clearing they stood in.

Lucy on the other hand was standing face to face with one giant Wyvern with determined eyes; the beast's claws clinked before trying to swipe at the blonde. Jumping to the side to avoid the sharp claws that dug into the ground. Quickly, Lucy called out Loke to help her take this thing down.

“Hello, Princess!” He greeted with a glint in his glasses, he noticed that her eyes were focused on the beast, “Need some help?”

“Yes, if you would shut up that would be great!” the stellar mage called out swiping her blade across the monster's arm that tried to grab her again.

Loke smiled and turned his rings on his hand, sliding his leg behind him, he launched forward to use his Regulus punch on one leg of the Wyvern; making it cry out before trying to attack Loke as well.

The stellar mage vaguely noticed Evergreen using her Fairy Bomb: Gremlin, having dust sprinkling around her foe, then exploding in each spot making them cry out. Lucy had to jump out of the way when one of Freed’s runes almost hit her but hit her monster.

He offered a loud sorry, but Lucy waved him off and smiled at him and told him it was okay. She stabbed once more at the beasts legs when she heard a loud thud and lightning off in the distance, Laxus must have taken out his foe. Lucy changed into her Leo star dress, letting the airy black dress flow over her and smile at her lion spirit when he gave his approving wink.

Both stared towards the Wyvern, spirit, and master pored their powers into their joined hands with a warrior scream; they ran, punching the beast in the chest with a powerful Regulus punch. Watching it fall back and his wings spread wide, almost hitting Bickslow, running to her and Loke.

“Hey, Loke! Nice job Cosplayer! That was awesome,” Bickslow congratulated them, high-fiving the lion spirit and touching Lucy’s shoulder. he wanted to hug her, but it didn’t seem to be the time.

“Watch out guys, we still have one more!” Laxus yelled, coming out of the wooded area; scratches all over his face and his coat was thrown over his shoulder, he was wearing it earlier.

Spinning around, Lucy and Bickslow watched the bigger and massive looking Wyvern, looking pissed as all hell. Freed and Evergreen took to the air again while Laxus Bickslow and Lucy stayed below, Loke going back as he was not needed anymore.

“Bickslow you take the back, Lucy and I will take from the front and Freed and Evergreen and send attacks from a distance,” Laxus barked, throwing the first move with an iron punch to the stomach.

The Seith mage took his babies to behind the beast with an attack to its tail. Evergreen was focusing more on his wings but got smacked in the process and plummeted to the ground. Freed left to help her up but she looked knocked out.

Lucy called out Gemini to transform into Wendy, the blonde was quickly running out of magic and so were the rest of them, Laxus looked tired and so did Bickslow. She turned back into her Cancer star dress when the other blonde knocked the beast to its knees.

“Bicks! Can I use your babies?” She shouted, running around the thing to where the Seith mage was, he nodded and let his babies fly over to her, “Can you guys get in a stair formation?” pointing up to the Wyverns head.

Once everything was set up and Laxus slammed into its stomach again, making the thing cry out loudly, Lucy took a running start up the five totems and jumped, blades in hand, to the Wyverns eyes. She kept her footing on the beast when the thing started to shake, trying to get her off of him.

A whimper left the monster's lips, falling straight forward; Lucy had to quickly take her blades out before she slid across the ground on her back before stopped just short of Bickslow.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when there was no noise in the forest anymore, just the wind and their heavy breathing. Bickslow slowly helped Lucy to her feet, the blonde cracked her back once she got up.

“Well, that was unexcepted, great job blondie,” Laxus commented, patting her on the back and walking, more like limping, back to town.

“Yeah that was amazing, Lu!” Evergreen, now awake with her arm over Freed’s shoulder to help her stand, smiled at the blonde and gave her a thumbs up.

They all started walking back to town, hoping to get some sleep, her mocha eyes shifted to Bickslow; he was lazily walk next to her with a small grin on his face, “What?”

Shaking his head, “Nothing, just that was pretty hot in the end,” Sticking his tongue out at her when she squeaked, Lucy smacked his shoulder and he cackled at her.

[***]

The team found a hotel for the night after telling Ben that they had defeated at least 5 Wyverns, Laxus told him if any more come back that he should contact Fairy Tail and they would respond.

Lucy slammed her face into the fluffy, white pillow and groaned from the bed right next to Evergreen. The brown-haired girl slowly lowered herself on her bed and groaned in satisfaction when her muscles relaxed in the soft mattress.

“Tired?” Lucy asked not moving anything but her head to the Fairy mage.

Letting out a sigh, “Exhausted!” She explained, then moved the blankets over herself, “You were amazing out there Lu, you trained a lot didn’t you?”

Her mind went to the year of being alone and having nothing to do but train, “Yeah something like that,” kicking the blanket to move it under her feet. She had to train since there was no guild left which means no jobs she could have taken; she certainly wasn’t going to go to another guild. Fairy Tail was her home, even if it wasn’t there for her.

“I would love to go on more missions with you guys,” Lucy giggled, hopefully, her team didn’t mind that she wouldn’t be on too many missions with them.

“We would love to go on missions with you too,” Evergreen let out a yawn after her slurred statement; The stellar mage gazed to Evergreen to see she was already asleep, she laughed and snuggled closer into her bed and slept.

[***]

The group walk back into the guild smiling and laughing when Ben confirmed that no Wyvern had come back after they left. It took about 30 minutes to get everyone awake, more time since Bickslow wasn’t a morning person whatsoever; Lucy knew that from experience.

Evergreen and Lucy were talking about the blonde’s change in fashion when the guild reestablished, she no longer wore skirts and tight-fitting shirts, now she wore shorts and tight leggings for more flexibility and some modesty.

Bickslow stood behind the blonde, admiring her as she bonded with each member of his team, even Laxus seemed to like her more then he did before. Freed admired her from her collection of books and knowledge of different subjects.

Once they made it into the guild hall, Lucy was bombarded by her pink-haired partner, “Luce! There you are! I’ve been looking for you,” Hugging her, yet she didn’t hug him back; or at least didn’t have time to when he pulled away from her.

“I’ve been on missions lately, which means I’m taking a few days off,” Lucy explained to him, making him pout.

“But I found an awesome job for the team! I guess we can do it later,” scratching the back of his head, his left eye closed in the action. Then ran off to punch Gray for apparently no reason. Lucy let out a quiet sigh, forgetting that Bickslow was standing behind him.

“You okay there, Cosplayer?” he asked with his babies flying around the blonde who looked stressed about the situation that happened.

She nodded, swallowing her complaint but smiled at the man, “I think I’m just a bit hungry.”

Putting his hand on her back he guided her to the second floor, “You can sit with us up here,” Figuring that she wouldn’t want to sit down here with her team, and she didn’t stop him.

She sat with the rest of the thunder legion and Laxus, the seemed pretty happy to see her and make conversation with her.

[***]

Two days later, after Lucy had her relax days, also kicking out Natsu several times when he tried to come through her window to ask when she wanted to go on that job. She told him that last time that she would go with them in two days.

He didn’t come back after that.

Lucy had been glued to her phone when she gave her number to Bickslow and the rest of them. Since Warren updated the communication lacrima, he made a new texting application and everyone in Fairy Tail has started using it. the blue-haired Seith mage would not stop texting her.

Stepping in the guild with a smile, Erza had approached her saying they were leaving for the mission in one hour, it was a good thing she packed the night before. Gray was telling Juvia he was leaving when she wouldn’t let go of his arm.

Lucy waved goodbye to the thunder legion and smiling at Bickslow’s cackle of ‘Don’t have too much fun’. She then flipped him off in response.

“So, what are we doing?” Lucy asked Erza on their way to the train station, Natsu had his backpack, full, on his back with Happy sleeping on his head and Gray had one shouldered on his bag. Erza pulled her cart of several packs behind her with Wendy by her side and Carla in her arms.

Lucy, on the other hand, held her duffel with one hand over her shoulder.

“We are to take down a small dark guild,” stating curtly when they stepped on the train. The train ride was quiet except Natsu and Wendy trying not to throw up and Gray making fun of them; Lucy was reading by the window while Erza was enjoying the scenery.

[***]

The team was all over the place in this mission, turns out several members were hardcore believers in their master; who hasn’t come out of his office, they wouldn’t give up. Natsu was in front of Lucy most of the time, ‘shielding’ her and trying to keep her safe. Even though she didn’t need it at all.

This is what she hated out this team, they always trying to protect her from everything, not letting her improve at all. It made her furious as she was trying to fight members of this dark guild but they all kept blocking her from attacks.

She had no chance to defend herself when Gray would put up an ice shield when he was ten feet away, or when Natsu would just burn the guy to a crisp before she could fight back. Lucy even screamed in frustration, but he ran off to the next guy.

Ezra would even jump in front of the blonde to take out that member, she was slowly getting angry with her team when they made it to the master's office. Erza kicked open the door to spot the man in a throne, crossed legs, and a smirk on his lips.

“Hello, Fairy Tail mages,” he stated in greeting.

Once Lucy entered through the door frame, she felt a shiver go up to her spine and it almost felt like she went through some runes.

“We’re here to take you down!” Natsu yelled and pointed a finger at the master.

“Oh, is that so?” Raising a grey eyebrow at him and with a flick of his wrist, the door was locked behind them, making them gasp.

Erza equipped her sword and pointed it towards the man, “What is the meaning of this?”

“Just making sure you won’t leave, I wanted a show,” leaning back in his seat with his chin in the air, looking smug as ever.

Lucy raised an eyebrow in question, “What show?” She asked with her arms crossed, his smile increased at the question.

Gesturing to the door he stated, “The runes you just walked through were my own special creation of truth spell. Anyone who crossed has to tell the truth in about…” He paused to look at a watch that wasn’t on his arm, “…30 seconds,”

Their eyes widened at the explanation, everyone looked at one another in silence until Erza spoke up first, “I have been having a relationship with Jellal for the past 2 months,” slapping her hand over her mouth.

“You are?” Natsu asked but smiled, “That’s awesome,” Gray only rolled his eyes, assuming he already knew.

“Ugh, boring.” Shifting his feet to cross it the other way.

“I get jealous of Erza and Lucy because I don’t have a big chest!” Wendy announced; the two other girls glanced at her with a questioning glance as the man let out a loud laugh.

“What? Wendy, it’s okay, you’re only 12. You might get some later in life,” Lucy explained, making the blue-haired slayer smile to her.

Gray was looking down at the ground when he yelled out, “I actually find Natsu as one of my closest friends and I don’t hate him,”

Natsu then turned his head to the ice devil slayer in confusion, “Dude, that’s weird,” Gray punched him in his shoulder when shout then shouted, “I am hungry about 90% percent of the time,”

Everyone rolled their eyes, that was really something to be concerned about. Erza turned to him, “That wasn’t really something we didn’t know,”

“But it’s the truth!” he shouted again, but Lucy stopped listening to them when she felt a bubble in her throat.

Lucy knew what she was about to, it had been on her mind for the past week, she just didn’t want them to find out like this. She shut her eyes and held both hands to her mouth, trying to keep it in. Everyone turned to her since she hadn’t said anything yet.

The man leaned forward, his elbow sitting on his knees, “Let it out,” He coaxed her and she squatted on the floor to fully hide herself.

A full 10 second passed when Lucy couldn’t breathe anymore and let her hands fall, “I don’t want to be on this team anymore,” keeping her eyes closed.

“Bingo,”


	4. Chapter Four

Their eyes went wide, and questionable glances were focused on the blonde who was still kneeling on the floor. Nobody moved for a moment, there was no noise in the room for a long time. The man in his throne laughed loudly then their eyes turned to him, “Say it again sweetheart, I don’t think they heard you,” he told Lucy.

She shook her head, not looking at anyone but the dirty ground.

He scowled to her, “I said,” holding his hand out, propping her up to her feet, and made her look at everyone, “Say it again,” he demanded.

A tear fell down her cheek as he mouth opened again, “I don’t want to be on this team anymore,” Lucy whimpered out.

“Luce,” Natsu was the first to respond, taking a hesitant step to his blonde partner, “You don’t really mean that do you?” his eyebrows frowned, he also held a frown on his face.

The stellar mage looked away with doubt in her eyes, Erza stepped in front of her and stared her in the eyes, “Lucy, this better not be true, and his spell wore off,” The redhead spoke softly but firm as to get answers from her.

With a long sigh, Lucy looked at her with much disdain, “It’s true,”

“Oh, this is great,” The master laughed, slapping his hand on the armrest hard.

Natsu then growled, lighting his fist on fire, “Would you shut up!” he yelled before running at the master then punched a blue dome around the master, the man had a wall of protection around him in case something like what just happen, happened.

The fire dragon slayer kept pounding on the rune wall with fire leaking out of his mouth, “You pathetic ass! Come out and fight me!” Natsu screamed with vigor, disregarding his teammates behind him telling him to stop.

“Natsu stop! That’s not going to work you moron,” Gray pulled on his arm away from the dome, but the pink-haired man pulled his arm away but turned back to Gray.

“Get away from me! We have to take out this guy, what’s the holdup?” Natsu argued pushed Gray’s shoulders with Erza pulling the two of them away from each other, knocking each of them in the head before pointing a finger at Natsu.

“You need to calm down,” then turned to the ice mage who was glaring at Natsu.

“And you aren’t helping,” none of them had realized what Lucy had been doing behind them. Wendy was standing off to the side, looking worried at what was happening.

The blonde had grown angry and sad at her teammate's responses, looking to her feet and shifting her eyes around her spot. Her hands clenched in fists while grinding her teeth together, she was so sick of the man laughing at her, sick of everyone trying to save her, and sick of not doing things herself.

Grazing her finger over Virgo’s key before a glow sprinkled around her to change her outfit. Her maid uniform with arm sleeves and headband behind her bangs formed around her. Suddenly she spun and dug into the ground using Virgo’s diver spell to dig under the dome then appeared in front of the laughing master.

He stopped laughing to stare at the blonde standing with clenched by her sides. She then Lucy kicked him, hitting his chin and making this chair fall back and making him tumble out and fell against his own rune dome.

“Lucy! What are you doing?” Natsu yelled outside the dome, it was muffled from where he was. Lucy glared at the poor fire dragon slayer just frowned at her.

Turning back without saying a word to anyone, her hands together in a prayer stance; grabbing a hold of the master with a bright gold glow lifting him up, hitting the top of the dome, she slammed him down to the ground. The master then fell in a deep hold, screaming curses at the blonde. Lucy just used a Spica hole for the first time since she learned it and it seemed to work great.

The dome then fell, as Lucy was staring at the hole. Natsu and Gray ran over to her, mainly to make sure she was okay. Erza looked down in the hole to see the master unconscious at the bottom.

“We should call the Knights to come to get these people,” Erza commented, still not looking at Lucy. Her voice was low and unnerved to the blonde waiting to see what happens next.

[***]

Team Natsu was now on the train back to Magnolia from their weird and difficult job. After the Rune Knights took away the members before having to go down with a rope to get the master, the team stopped talking to each other. Wendy and Natsu were trying to not throw up while Erza was only looking out the window.

Gray was falling asleep beside Lucy, who was bunching up her shirt in her hands. No one had talked to anyone on the walk here or on the train for that matter.

She sighed, leaning back in the booth and wanting to just go home and cry. Were they her friends or was this just up in the air? Was she off the team or not?

Getting off the train after an hour of riding, the team was walking down the sidewalk until Erza turned to look at the blonde speaking to her for the first time since the mission, “We need to talk Lucy, all of us,” looking at the rest of Team Natsu.

Walking the rest of the way to Lucy’s apartment, they all squeezed into her apartment and when the blonde tried to make tea for them, Erza had told her to sit down, realized she was trying to prolong this talk.

“First and foremost, do you really want out of Team Natsu?” She asked Lucy, standing in the center of her living room.

Lucy took a breath, hanging her head down low, “Yes,”

Natsu then stood up with clenched fiery fists, “Why?!” He yelled, Happy telling him to calm down but was also just as curious about this as Natsu was.

“I-I,” she started but Gray then stood up from the couch and paced around the apartment and losing his shirt in the process.

“Why didn’t you tell us earlier? Why was this just dumped on us from a dark guild master? Why wouldn’t you tell us this yourself?” He was getting angry, balling his fists as his necklace was bouncing off his chest. He then kicked one of her trashcans across the hall. Lucy twitched from it hitting her wall.

“Wel-l,”

It was Natsu yelling that interrupted her with flaming arms, “Ugh! I just don’t get it! Luce, why?” Erza then smacked him up the head, he glared towards her but then coward once he noticed it was her.

“If you would –“ Lucy tried but this time it was Wendy who spoke up.

The blue-haired mage stood with Carla in her arms, “Lucy you can’t leave! What would I do in this team without you?” with tears in her eyes but none were falling.

Lucy just wanted to tell them why she wanted to leave but no one was letting her talk, now they were all basically fighting and yelling with each other. She watched as Natsu started yelling about loyalty and friendship while Gray started yelling about how Lucy blindsided them with this while Erza was asking who was going to protect the blonde. Wendy was just crying about how her sister was leaving, the exceeds were just trying to figure out what was happening.

“THAT’S IT!” Lucy stood and yelled with her hands raised, “I want to leave because you guys never let me grow!”

All four were looking at her, “What?” Erza asked she looked as if she was going to say more but Lucy kept going.

“NO! You guys never let me show what I can do, as a mage. All you ever do is protect me and I don’t fucking need it!” taking a deep breath, “I just took a mission with the thunder legion and I actually felt like one of them, a part of their team and not just a cheerleader!”

“You’re not –“

“Yes, I am! All I do is just stand there as you all fight in front of me! I know how to fight I know what to do, I did do a year without you guys!” that made everything tense, Lucy was just standing in her living room in the awkward silence while she tried to catch her breath.

“Fine,” Natsu spoke, sternly, “If that’s what you want, just know I’m not happy about this,” crossing his arms and staring directly at the blonde.

“Fine, then just leave,” Lucy pointed to the door with her eyes closed, not letting the tears fall when they all walked out.

Slamming the door, Lucy sat on her couch, rolled in a ball, and cried. She wished she knew runes so she could have no one come in. This couldn’t have gone worse.

[***]

Erza, Gray, Natsu and Wendy walked into the guild with sullied looks on their faces, none of them even said hi to the remaining members of Fairy Tail. They had all separated once entering the guildhall; Natsu requesting something to eat at the bar and Gray went over to a random booth where Juvia met him with his permission.

Erza made her way up to the master's office and Wendy sat down with both exceeds looking very depressed. People were confused, why was team Natsu so upset?

Bickslow watched the requip mage walk into the masters office and his eyes looked down from the second floor to see the rest of the team was here except Lucy. Laxus had asked in a question but he only stood and walked to the bar on the first floor.

“Natsu, where’s Lucy?” The Seith mage asked once he reached the pink-haired slayer at the bar.

The slayer’s shoulders then tensed at the question and paused his eating of fire chicken, “She’s at home,” sounding stressed but Bickslow let it go.

“Is she okay?” placing his hand on the bar. He didn’t think Lucy would just sit at home and do nothing after a mission, but he didn’t know her too well.

“I guess,” Natsu shrugged and went back to his eating, it seemed like he didn’t want to talk anymore. So, Bickslow went and sat back with his team on the second floor.

“What was that about Bicks?” Evergreen asked putting down her fork in her salad.

Shaking his head, “Nothing,” his babies betrayed him by shouting ‘Lucy, Lucy,’ over and over again causing the Seith mage to groan and slam his head on the table.

Laxus laughed, “Someone’s in loveeeee,” He drawled out like the damn blue cat, then laughed more.

“I am not,” Bickslow grumbled from his folded arms, “I’m just concerned about a friend,” He then pulled out his lacrima phone to text the blonde if she was okay, but nothing came up.

[***]

After Lucy had stopped crying, she just sat on her couch curled in a ball, and stared in a haze. She had heard her communication lacrima buzz several times, but she wasn’t in the mood.

The stellar mage groaned at her headache and stretched her legs out on the couch, she didn’t really know what to do at this point. She’d have to take large jobs by herself now, taking a deep breath again before closing her eyes, not letting the tears fall.

She laid her forehead on her knee and shakily sighed out, a few seconds later there was a soft knock on her door, “Not now,” it was hardly above a normal voice.

“Cosplayer?” her head shot up, staring at the door. When she didn’t say anything until she heard his babies chant, ‘cosplayer, cosplayer’ causing her to let out a watery laugh. Lucy got up and opened the door a crack to look up at the Seith mage who held a small smile of encouragement.

“Hey, you…uh doing okay?” he asked nervously between shifting his feet. She was going to answer him until his totems flew unto her apartment through the open door, floating through the open space.

‘Lucy are you okay?’, ‘We’re worried’, ‘We’ll make it better.’ Lucy had smiled at their concerns when she turned to face the little totems. Turning back to face Bickslow, she saw him shutting the door behind him softly smiling at her.

He observed her, the red face and teary eyes with a tired look about her, “You’re not fine, are you?”

With a shake of her head, Lucy let out a small sob; once she tried to wipe her cheeks, he made his way over to her and wrapped his arms around her. Lucy left her arms folded against their chests while her forehead hit his collarbone.

His hand found its way to the back of her head to pet her hair and his other hand was drawing circles on her back. Lucy let out another shaky breath, “I didn’t mean for this to happen,”

“Did you want to talk about it?” having her lean back to look at him, noticing that his babies were calm now, sitting on her counter.

Nodding, Bickslow and Lucy moved to the couch; Lucy with her legs crisscrossed and Bickslow with one knee bent on the couch and a foot to the floor facing each other. “So, what happened?” He asked putting an arm on the back of the couch.

Lucy then processed to tell him the whole situation, how the mission made her tell her (former) team members. How everyone started yelling and not letting her talk and interrupting her. She let out all her feelings by yelling and crying.

All of it took around an hour to get it all out of her system, Bickslow attentively listened to every word she told him. The Seith mage felt bad for her, he felt she wanted to leave the team but knowing he wouldn’t want someone else to tell it for her.

“I just don’t know what to do now,” letting her hands fall to her lap, and her eyes focused on a string coming off her shoe.

“Well, you know what you have to do now?” the blue-haired mage patted his knees before standing up before the blonde.

“No, what?” looking up at him with frowned eyebrows. Bickslow only walked over to her little tv stand that held her movie cases.

Pulling out the first Saw movie, “We watch movies until we die!” smiling at her when she giggled at him.

The two of them watching several movies all day long and even ordered food to be brought to her apartment. They watch all the scary movies she had, keeping with the creepy theme of the day, they blacken the window and turned off the lights. Bickslow had set his visor on the

Bickslow was very surprised when Lucy would laugh at the guy cutting off his foot, saying that his facial expressions were making him seem constipated. He argued that he was CUTTING OFF HIS FOOT, but she would just smack his chest and laugh more.

He was having a lot of fun with Lucy, she seemed to be feeling better than before. She was smiling and laughing and even screaming at some points, causing her to grab onto his forearm. When they got to The House of 1000 Corpses, Lucy was too comfortable in her blanket and leaning up against Bickslow’s side, she almost fell asleep.

Suddenly, his mobile communication phone went off with a ring, he moaned and threw his head back, “What?” he asked before answering the phone. Lucy sat up, with much reluctance, to watch him answer the phone, “What?”

She tried to hear from the other end, it sounded like Laxus yelling at him about something, “No, I didn’t plan on it,” he rolled his eyes at the blonde making her giggle, “Yeah we can go on the mission in a few days,”

Lucy paused the movie with a clown smiling at the camera, she just had to laugh. Her attention was grabbed when Bickslow said, “Hey, remind me that I need to ask you something,” then more yelling which caused him to laugh with his tongue out, “Yeah, it’s out,” making her laugh because Laxus had to have asked if his tongue was out.

“I can’t tell you what it is, I’m busy right now,” Eyeing the blonde next to him, making her smile. She laid her head back on his shoulder, causing him to look down and move his arm to around her before saying, “Yes, I’ll tell you tomorrow. Can I hang up now?”

There was silence before Bickslow pulled the phone away from his face to look at it, “He hung up on me,” Lucy laughed and opened her eyes to see his babies flying around them, also laughing.

Looking up at him, “Do you have to go?” she asked him, watching as he fiddled with the blanket around both of them.

“Huh? No, I told him I was busy. Plus, we have a lot of movies to watch, how do you even have all the Saw movies?” Jokingly he stuck his tongue out in a laugh and caused her to giggle, Bickslow slowly rubbed her arm and turned back to the movie, “Come on, let’s watch,”

Lucy had to wonder what Laxus wanted in the first place and why Bickslow was even still here. Yeah, they were starting to become friends and hopefully more but did he feel the same? She knew of his, unseemly, nights out with various women. Why would someone like him want someone like her?

Her gaze shifted to his face, his skin was smooth and tanned. His red eyes were focused on the movie that she had no interest in at the moment. His blue three hawked colored hair was pushed back with a few strands sticking out.

Was he just trying to make her feel better or did he really enjoy her company? Or was she overthinking this as she always did? Lucy did enjoy being around the goofy man, he made her laugh almost all the time. He made her feel happy when she was upset and angry with herself, he didn’t try to make it all about him.

Sighing and leaning back onto him, she tried not to think about it too much.

[***]

After several movies and breaks to eat more snacks, Lucy was asleep on Bickslow’s lap. Her head on his lap and two of his babies laying on her side while the rest were on the couch. His hand was laid on top of her head, stringing her blonde hair through his fingers.

The only thing on his mind was her and what she meant to him. Bickslow didn’t do relationships, he knew that himself. So, what exactly was he doing here? Maybe he should talk to someone about this, but who would listen to him?

Bickslow knew that he always just joked and never took anything seriously, didn’t want to get to close to anyone because of his dark magic of his figure eyes. Yet, Lucy seemed to not mind at all about his magic and him taking her soul; which would never happen.

He sighed, moving his fingers across her scalp. The Seith mage was honestly confused about all of this. he didn’t even know if Lucy even romantically liked him at all. Right now, they seemed like close friends from the past week they’ve been talking.

As the movie played out, Bickslow was about to wake up the blonde so he could leave to his own place. He could talk to Laxus, maybe, tomorrow. Lucy opened her eyes with a loud yawn and look around. “What time is it?”

Bickslow looked at the clock ticking on the wall, “About 1 in the morning,” Him also yawning at the end of his sentence.

Sitting up, her eyes went wide, “I’m sorry. You probably want to go home right?” wiping her face and getting up from the couch with the Seith mage. His babies followed him to the door as he turned back to look at the blonde.

“Well, it has been nice. I hope we do this again,” Smiling to Lucy, making her smile back.

She nodded enthusiastically, wringing her hands together, “Yeah, I would really like that.” Looking up at him and his beautiful eyes, “Uh, thank you for making me feel better. I really appreciate it,” she smiled again, fisting her shirt.

“Of course, I had to. Its my job,” sticking out his tongue as a cackle left his lips. Lucy giggled as well, she took a breath through her nose and stepped closer to him.

His eyes focused on her movements, wondering what she was gonna do next.

Lucy licked her lips, lifting her heels to her toes, lifting her chin to angle more, her lips met his. Subtle pressure to hit his lips as he didn’t move either, Lucy felt his lips quiver against hers.

Suddenly his hand was on her shoulder, pushing her back, “No, wait,” Her mocha eyes went wide and scared.

Her hand flew to her mouth, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t…I shouldn’t…” backing away from him and the door. His hand was fisting her visor while he just stared at the stellar mage.

“I should go,” his voice was wavering as his mind was in pieces.

She nodded without saying anything as he shut the door and left.

That only left Lucy angry at herself and lost. He didn’t feel that same way and now she was left with more questions. Letting out a loud and quivered scream, Lucy slammed herself on her bed and she wasn’t leaving until she knew what to do with her life now.

[***]

The very next day at the Fairy Tail guild hall, Bickslow sat at the Thunder Legion table on the second floor, waiting. He really didn’t know what he was waiting for; Lucy to show up or for his team to show up.

He had gotten there early, just as Mira opened up because he didn’t get a whole lot of sleep. Hopefully, Lucy wasn’t too upset, he didn’t, not enjoy the kiss, but he also had a bunch of unanswered questions in his head.

Snapping his head up when he heard the door, only to see Nab roll in with Max on his tail. He groaned and laid his head back on the table between his arms. Pappa and Poppo parked themselves before their partner, ‘What’s wrong?’, ‘Too sad?’ they asked at the same time.

Puppu and Pippi were on each other his shoulders while Peppe floated in the air, “Nothing babies, just thinking,” he grumbled out.

“What’s got you down in the dumps?” Evergreen had asked him, holding a coffee in one hand as she sat next to him, “I heard you had quite a night with little Lulu,” Wiggling her eyebrows at him.

He only groaned louder, and threw his arms over his head, furthering his hiding. The brown-haired fairy mage laughed at his misery while picking up a magazine.

“What’s wrong with you?” Laxus kicked Bickslow’s leg before sitting across from the Seith mage.

“Nothing,” saying again, he didn’t know why he wasn’t just going to ask them what he should do but he also didn’t know how to get the words out.

“Hello everyone, oh, what wrong - “

“Nothing!” Bickslow yelled interrupting Freed’s greeting. The Seith mage sat up, looking at all of them, they wore shocked faces as he let out another sigh. “I-I, shit. I don’t know what to do,” Tapping his fingers on the wood.

“About?” Laxus asked, downing his own coffee.

“Lucy,” They all turned back to him in question. What did this have to with Lucy? “She, uh, well I went to her apartment because she was upset about her mission with her former team,”

“Former Team?” Evergreen asked but he waved her off.

“Not about that. We watched movies and had snacks until 1. I was having fun being around her and laughing,” He held a small smile on his face, thinking about the dumb jokes they made and the mess they made out of thrown popcorn and cookie crumbles, “but as I was leaving she kissed me,” cupping his cheek when his elbow hit the table.

A moment of silence was heard before Laxus leaned forward, “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No, I mean yeah but I may have pushed her away,” his gaze now on the floor, not looking at them. Evergreen made a noise of surprise while Freed and Laxus didn’t make any noise.

“You’re an idiot,” Laxus grunted out as Bickslow groaned again and telling him he knew. He then went on to explain his feelings and what his mind was going through.

[***]

Lucy walked through her kitchen while making a small bowl of white rice. It was quiet and dark in her apartment; she was only writing a bit today and then just staying home. Maybe she would go to the guild tomorrow and find a mission for herself to do.

“I guess I’m a solo mage now,” She sighed to herself. Lucy didn’t even want to call one of her spirits, she was so down.

Shaking her head as she set down the empty bowl in the sink, she heard a knock on her door. Making a small groan, she really didn’t want to talk to more people, hopefully it wasn’t Bickslow. Lucy didn’t know if she could handle talking to him right now.

Slowly making her way to the door, she opened it only to find, “Freed?”


	5. Chapter Five

Bickslow walked down the street towards Lucy’s place, he felt bad about what happened. After talking with his team, he felt like he had to say something to her, his babies followed him quietly. His head gazed down to the ground with his hands in his pockets.

Laxus just yelled at him that he was an idiot and should just tell him how he feels. Ever was feeling for Lucy more than him, he glared at the ground at that thought; she told him that he needed to man up and talk to her. Sounding almost like someone in their guild, who she may or may not be dating.

Freed was the only quiet one, didn’t say a thing the whole time. It creeped him out, Freed was always the one to tell him the sophisticated side, but he didn’t have that this time.

Even when Bickslow was being adventurous with women for years, they let him do whatever as long as he didn’t hurt anyone. Now, that someone from the guild, they wanted to cautious about the effect this might have on the guild. Also, he had told them what happened with her team, they were shocked, to say the least.

Laxus was especially shocked at the way Natsu had handled it, if Lucy wanted off the team, they should have respected her right to ask. Yet, Lucy was so scared of her team's reactions she waited to tell them. Bickslow was thinking that the blonde slayer was finding a sibling bond with Lucy.

The Seith mage sighed as he knocked on the stellar mage’s front door. He had to apologize and at least explain himself. He waited, didn’t hear any movement; was she sad again? He knocked again, but louder and still nothing, “Cosplayer? I’m coming in!” He shouted, turning the knob to see it was unlocked and he walked through.

Stepping in, he saw it was dark and nobody here. “Lucy?” he tried looking around, but still didn’t see anything, “Babies, search,” they all fanned out and searched the blonde’s apartment. They all came back with nothing, there was no one in here.

“Maybe she went back to the guild?” He guessed, but it was already dark out when he left. This just wasn’t his day, he got up late from not sleeping and then his long talk with his team about feelings and shit. The Seith mage sighed with his hands in his pockets on his way back to his team's house.

Several years ago, they were all tired of waiting for each other at the guild almost every day and every week. So, they all had decided to buy their own house to make things simpler. It wasn’t too far from the guild, but he was walking slower than normal.

Once opening the door to his place, he found Lucy there sitting with Freed on the couch with Evergreen in the kitchen making popcorn, “Wha-“ then Laxus walked in from his room in the back with his hands full of books. “What is happening?” he asked no one in particular.

“We’re having a slumber party!” Evergreen cheered while placing another popcorn bag in the microwave and turning around to face them. “What took you so long?”

“Uh, I…um,” He really couldn’t articulate any sentences when he stepped in and sat low on the love seat at the right side of the large living room. “Why are you here?” His gaze turned to the blonde looking into a book that Laxus brought over.

“Well, it's nice to see you too Bicks,” Lucy smiled while glancing up at him then back to the book.

He shook his head, “Oh, shit sorry. Hi, cosplayer! What are you doing here?” leaning forward with his elbows on his knees watching his babies fly around the house. They usually do this when they get home and he lets them, making sure they don’t break anything.

Setting the book back down beside the stack of books, Lucy pointed to Freed next to her, “He invited me after he gave me some advice and some kind words,” Smiling at the Rune mage who had a small blush on his cheeks.

[***]

“Freed?” Lucy asked, confused as to why the green-haired mage was at her door, “What, um, what brings you here?” She swallowed thickly after trying not to cry for the past 3 hours.

He stepped inside without asking and walked past her, “I came here to talk to you about Bickslow,”

Lucy flinched, remembering the kiss yesterday and the response she got, “What about him?”

Both sitting side by side on the couch as Freed looked to her with calculating eyes, “He told us what happened,” Causing Lucy to groan and hide her face, this was so embarrassing, and now more people know, and her team hates her. Could this get any worse?

“It’s nothing to be upset about. He just told us why, and why he pulled away from you. I feared that Bickslow would, what’s the phrase? Fuck shit up,” That made Lucy giggle, she didn’t think she ever heard Freed curse before.

“What makes you think that? He might not ever talk to me again,” groaning again as she pulled up her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

Freed chuckled shaking his head, “I don’t believe that at all. He’s just very confused as to what to do in an actual relationship,” he explained. “He was always the kind to mess around with a lot of women. He never really had feelings like this for any woman before,”

Lucy paused, he had feelings for her? it certainly didn’t seem like it yesterday when he pulled away from her. “Are you sure about that?” Tracing an imaginary line along her leg.

“Miss Lucy, I assure you that he has feelings for you. He walked into the guild today so distraught, he sulked on the table and told us how much he messed up things with you. Bickslow just seemed a bit confused as to how to handle a real relationship, maybe you could talk to him?” Freed picked up a book that was on the coffee table in front of him, admiring that artwork of the cover and remembering to borrow it the next time he was here, then set it back down.

Lucy hummed and watched him pick up the book she left and thought about what the rune mage told her. Did Bickslow really want something with her? They hadn’t talked for too long but that didn’t seem to matter to her heart.

“Say, why don’t you come back to the Thunder Legion’s home and wait for him there so you can talk,” Freed stood with his hand extended for her to take, she hesitated for a bit. Lucy didn’t want to be hurt anymore but she wanted to take this leap of faith for him.

She gripped his hand and smiled, “Alright! Sleepover commence!” pumping her fist in the air before skipping to the door.

The green-haired mage only chuckled at her enthusiasm and followed her out of the overly pink apartment.

Arriving at the large one-story house, Lucy had wondered how they fit four people in this house until she walked inside, “Wow,” gazing around the house to see a large opening of the living with one L-shaped couch and one love seat on the other side. They were all facing a 50’ TV and behind the living room was an open kitchen with one island.

In the far back were several rooms, down a hallway, and to the right of her was a sunroom with a swing chair and a wicker bench. It felt so homey, something Lucy never thought would be associated with them.

“Blondie? what are you doing here?” Laxus asked, walking out of the far back room in a pair of sweats and white tank top, “Bicks isn’t here,” He commented and watched Lucy place her hands on her hips with a scowl on her face.

“You’re blonde too Laxy, and I know. Freed invited me; we’re having a sleepover!” slapping her hands together in front of her while he raised a thin eyebrow at her.

His storm blue eyes turned to Freed, “What is happening?”

Freed in turn shrugged with a small smirk playing on his lips, “I came here to trade,” holding up the book he took from Lucy’s house.

She stared wide-eyed at him, “When did you take that?” he set it down on the side table and motioned her to sit on the couch.

“When you skipped out your door, I think I may have some books that interest you, Miss Lucy. What do you say? Wanna trade?” Lucy held a hand to her chin in thought, crossing her legs and leaning back on the couch.

“Let’s see what you got,” Freed had told Laxus to get her his books from his room when asked what books and he just told him to pick some. The two then sat and discussed several subjects and missions when Evergreen walked through the door in a very nice dress and her hair all curled up.

Lucy looked up and smiled, “You look nice Ever,” pushing a piece of hair behind her shoulder.

“Lu? Um,” fixing her hair that was a bit tangled at the side, “Thank you, what are you doing here?” placing her coat in the front closet.

“Sleepover,” Lucy and Freed unionized. Evergreen just laughed and walked to her room, probably going to change.

Almost half an hour later, Evergreen was making popcorn and Laxus was sent to get more books; though very aggravated about it and grumbled the whole time. Freed and Lucy were conversing about what movie they should watch. Then walked in Bickslow.

[***]

The Seith mage nodded, so Freed was just trying to help him, his red eyes glanced to the blonde who was smiling at him. He threw his head back in a groan and heard a small giggle from her. he just thought this was very embarrassing at the least.

“This is weird,” He just mumbled while Laxus plopped himself beside him on the loveseat.

Evergreen set down a big bowl of popcorn in front of everyone on the coffee table, “So, what are we watching?” stretching her legs across the leg of the couch next to Laxus. Freed looked over at Lucy who turned to look at him and they both shrugged.

Laxus groaned, “Pick something, I’m getting bored over here,” tapping his foot on the carpet. Bickslow punched his shoulder but still laughed at his misery. Evergreen stomped over to the tv, that held all the movies they had, kneeling in front of them.

“Horror, comedy, romance,” all the guys groaned at that last one and she giggled, “Okay, okay. How about this one?” holding up the movie ‘Beauty and the Beast’ the boys all groan, Lucy is only blank-faced.

The blonde was never really into Disney movies, but she could still watch one. She shrugs and watches the Fairy mage put the movie in and move back to her seat beside Lucy. The opening sequence was long, so her eyes found Bickslow, who was staring at her as well. She blushes, her eyes downcast but moved back up to see him smiling at her.

“Do I have to move seats?” Laxus suddenly asked in a quiet moment causing Lucy to squeak and Bickslow to punch him in the shoulder. “What? You guys have been making eyes at each other for the past 10 minutes,”

“Dude,” Bickslow sharply jabbed, he looked over to Lucy, still trying to hide her blush with her shoulders.

The stellar mage stood up when Freed paused the video, walked over to the two big guys on the loveseat, and waited. Laxus just chuckled before standing close to Lucy’s face, “No fondling during the movie,” smirking at the younger blonde. Lucy uppercut him in the stomach, causing him to grunt and hold his stomach as she sat in his seat beside the Seith mage.

“Nice one, cosplayer,” high fiving the stellar mage and laughing openly at Laxus.

“That was a cheap shot!” the slayer defended. Now, they all were laughing at him while Lucy told him that wasn’t against the rules.

The movie night went on, they all had a choice of movies after Evergreen chooses a cheesy Disney movie. Laxus had chosen the movie ‘Inglorious Bastards’, which Lucy loved. Once she got interested in the film, she scooted closer to the screen but really moved closer to Bickslow, leaning closer to his right arm.

Freed had chosen a proper movie, ‘Les Misérables’, the look on Laxus’ face was just hilarious to Bickslow, he looked bored as hell and confused as well. He wanted to laugh but every time it would bubble up, Lucy would pinch his arm. Ever was very focused and into this movie, Bickslow was thinking that she has never seen it before.

Since it was almost 2 in the morning, they had decided that Lucy and Bickslow would choose the last movie for the whole group and Lucy had the best idea. She leaned and whispered it in his ear, he smiled with his guild mark showing. “Yes,”

Getting up quickly, the Seith mage put in the movie without telling the other what it was. They had repeatedly asked what the movie was, but Lucy would only sinisterly smile at them. Moving back beside her, he shoved his arm around her and laid it on the back of the loveseat.

“Can we at least know what genre it is?” Freed insisted with his arms crossed watching the intro play out.

“Horror,” Lucy stated with her eyes glued to the screen. This was one of her favorite movies, she just loved hearing the maniacal laughs of those inbreds. No real reason, other than it was kind of funny.

“Oh great,” Ever rolled her eyes and settled back on the couch.

Watching other people watch a movie that she loved, Lucy loved to see their reactions. Watching them wince and hide behind their hands. Evergreen was already hiding herself, curled up in a tight ball. Freed had a tight grip on the couch’s arm and a grimace played on his lips. Laxus looked downright angry and looking to kill.

“How could anyone think of making a movie like this?” Laxus yelled standing up from the couch, waving his arms, and walking back to his room, “I’m done with this. You two are weird as shit!”

Lucy and Bickslow laughed, the blonde waved him off while Ever also got up with a shaken look painted across her face, “Night guys,”

“That had to be the weirdest movie I’ve ever watched,” was all Freed stated before walking back to his own room, across from his leader.

The last two laughed, for a while and then calm down to gaze at each other. “So, um, where are you sleeping?” he asked scratching the back of his head.

She played with the strings on her pajama bottoms, “I don’t know, the couch?” gazing to the L-shaped couch. This time Bickslow started panicking, he didn’t want her to sleep on the couch, having his team make fun of him for it. He was supposed to fix this too.

He stood, holding his hand out to the blonde, “Come with me, “ his babies flew off in front of him to his room, one of the first rooms down the hall. They walked hand in hand to his room. Lucy looked at his door, it seemed plain with some dents which made her look at him in question.

“Babies like to slam into the door when I close it on them. Sometimes it gets intense,” picking at the place in the corner that was chipped and splintered. Lucy giggled behind her hand while Bickslow smiled at her.

The two of them stepped into his room, Lucy stepped in with wide eyes, it was very colorful in his room. His bed was king-sized with a plaid patterned comforter on it and across from it was a tall dresser with 5 drawers. With some more dents and scratches, the blonde letting out another giggle. The walls were colored blue, like his hair, and some shapes around it.

Bickslow closed the door and threw off his shirt, he always slept like this but seeing the blush painted on her cheek just made him chuckle. Lucy sat on the end of the bed with her leg under her and stared at the Seith mage.

“So, um,” He felt so awkward, normally he would just have sex with the girl and that was it. Now, this beautiful woman was sitting in his room with a small tank top and almost booty shorts. Gods, she was so beautiful.

He heard her giggle again, almost hitting himself because he had said the last line out loud. Holding her hands out to him he walked over to sit next to her, holding one of her hands, “So, you actually like me?” she asked innocently.

He nodded, it was no use to keep it to himself, “I was just confused, I’m sorry,” hanging his head down in shame. Her finger lifted his chin to stare at her with kind and bright mocha eyes. Touching his cheek, she noticed that his skin was soft but there were small scars all over his body just like every other Fairy mage.

“You don’t have to be sorry. This is new for both of us and I won’t judge you whatsoever. You have never had a romantic type of relationship and I have never had a relationship either,” dropping her hand into his lap and on his shorts.

His red eyes searched hers, she’s never had a relationship either? She was so kind and gorgeous, how was this possible? He then started laughing, her eyebrows frowned in confusion. Suddenly his hand found the back of her neck.

His lips gently touched hers, her hand clenched at his shorts, deepening the kiss. Tilting her head and closing her eyes to move her soft lips against his. His hand threaded through her blonde, silky hair when he felt her tilt her head.

Once they parted, they were out of breath, staring at one another; his hand still in her hair, hers on his lap grasping his shorts. They then started laughing together, smiling and joking. Neither knew what they were doing but that didn’t mean anything.

“We’ll figure this out together,” He said moving both to the head of the bed and under the blanket. The two mages were facing each other, his right hand clasping her left. Falling asleep together.

[***]

Almost a week later the two of them had planned to have their first date. After waking up, partially on top of each other they had talked and wanted to have an actual date and not a mission date. But first, his team had to take a job out in Hargeon for a few days.

Now, Lucy was at the bar with her favorite milkshake in front of her. Her smile never leaving her face, she was so happy. She and Bickslow will sometimes text each other on their communication lacrima and he was just as silly as he was in person.

“Hey Lucy, you seem a bit happy lately,” Mira mused, putting a plate in front of Max at the end of the bar.

The stellar mage only shrugged with a slight smile, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” sipping her milkshake nonchalantly. Looking over her shoulder at the door, still not seeing him yet. Her fingers started to tap on the wood of the bar counter.

“Waiting on something?” scaring the blonde and causing her to let out a squeak. Looking over and seeing Erza sitting next to her with a somber look across her face.

Breathing normally again, she turned to the red-haired again, “Um, kind of,” Lucy and Bickslow wanted their relationship to be a bit scarce from the guild until they know what their relationship is. Especially since they haven't had a date yet.

“Oh, uh. Lucy. I wanted to say that I was….am, sorry,” the blonde raised an eyebrow at her. This was weird, Erza apologizing? “You may strike me,” bowing her head.

There it is.

Shaking her hands in front of her, “No, Erza. I’m not going to hit you. I just wanted you guys to understand,” leaning against the bar on her elbow.

“That you need to grow? Yes, I understand now. We held you back and I feel terrible, you never had time to get up to our level and I am sorry,” Erza explained, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

Lucy seemed perplexed at that, though it sounded like she was really understanding where Lucy was coming from, it also sounded like she was putting her down for being weaker than them. So, the blonde just decided to take it as is, that’s really as good as it’s going to get.

Taking a deep breath, “Thank you Erza,” thumbing her empty glass with condensation falling on her hand.

“So, am I forgiven?”

Frowning her eyebrows, “Um…”

Suddenly the doors flew open with the Thunder Legion and Laxus strolling in with happy faces, Lucy looked back at Erza and jumped off her stool and turned her head, “Sorry Erza but I gotta go,” Running off to the group that just came in.

[***]

Bickslow and his team completed their mission early and he was ecstatic. It was his first real date with the beautiful blonde celestial mage. Yet, he was very nervous, he didn’t know how to act. However, the two had talked about it and they would try this together.

Ever and Laxus was clowning him all day on their walk back to the guild, but that didn’t detour his excitement.

They pushed in the doors to Fairy Tail, gazing to find his star. She was talking with Erza, which didn’t look like a good conversation; then her eyes met his. She made her way over to them and he smiled, taking off his visor and watching his babies fly around her in greeting.

“Hey there Cosplayer,” bending to her level. Almost kissing her cheek but resisted and pulled back.

“Hey, Bicks,” pink dusted on her cheeks as she followed him and his team to their second-floor table, “How was the mission guys?” sitting next to Bickslow at the end of the circle table.

Laxus groaned and threw his head back, “So, annoying. The client wants all of us to entertain his 5 children. The flyer said it was a matter of life or death and they needed us immediately. I hated every bit of it,” explained, looking for Mira so he could get some alcohol in his system.

The young blonde giggled at his distress, Bickslow had also chuckled with his tongue out, “I had fun,”

Evergreen smacked him with her fan, “That’s cause the kids loved you and your babies. You made eating fun,”

Lucy glanced at Bickslow, was he really good with kids? it would make sense, he was fun and childish sometimes. She smiled softly at him; he was really cute. “I mean Freed got them all to fall asleep on time every day,”

“I was telling them about the difference between colors, they fell asleep on the couch every time,” Freed pouted, it was the first time Lucy has ever seen that happen.

Grazing her finger over Horologium’s key, Lucy tapped Bickslow’s arm, “We have to go,” standing up, the two mages bid their farewell to his team and started walking out the guild.

[***]

Lucy sat in her seat at the restaurant after Bickslow had pulled it out for her. The Seith mage had his babies silent on the table in the corner, he couldn’t leave them, and they had to be quiet. “You really don’t have to do this,” Lucy said getting her napkin off the table to her lap.

Bickslow’s blue hair was slicked back in a nice, clean way, he was also wearing a really nice button-up shirt. Lucy on the other hand was wearing a flowy light pink dress with a small bow on the center of her bosom.

“No, no. I do, I’m going to do this right,” He insisted, pouring her a glass of champagne.

The two mages had a great time. The food was amazing, but not as amazing as the fun they had. Talking about anything and everything, Bickslow was talking about his many adventures with the thunder legion and why they started calling themselves that.

Lucy was talking about the first mission she really took with Natsu, how he only wanted her for the blonde maid position. However, she got Virgo out of it, so it was worth it. they chatted about what she should do with her team, the stellar mage was worried about them and if she should really talk with them about it.

Bickslow had told her that she should do what made her feel better; whether it be ignoring them or asking them to forget the whole thing.

The restaurant had almost kicked them out by how loud they were laughing, though they were leaving anyway, the two laughed right out of the eatery with Lucy’s arm’s wrapped around Bickslow’s forearm.

“So, where to now milady?” walking down the street, watching the sunset in the distance.

Lucy hummed, tapping her fingers on his warm, tanned arm. She didn’t really know what to do now since she’s never been on a date before and normally people would go home right? “What do you want to do?” maybe he had a clue on what was next.

As they were aimlessly walking, he set his hand on hers, “Well, what do you say about going back to your place?” attentively asking. Her nail scratched lightly on his skin, she really wanted to but was this too soon?

You know what? She really likes Bickslow and this was her life, she can do what she wants.

“Yes, let's go back to my place,” telling him confidently and turning the corner to her apartment. Bickslow only smiled, picking her up to place her on his back, and ran forward.


End file.
